The 3 Most Likely Cities to Get Amazon’s HQ2

When Amazon announces they’re opening an office in your city, you need to pay attention. That’s what the residents of 20 major cities in North America are doing right now, as Amazon makes plans to build their second headquarters (Seattle is home to their main headquarters).

They’ve narrowed down their 238 bids to just 20 cities, and there’s a lot riding on their selection. Real estate prices are expected to increase in the city that wins the headquarters, and up to 50,000 new jobs can be expected.

While everyone has a guess as to which city will land the HQ2, Irish betting site Paddy Power is taking bets. Here are the three favorites.

1. Boston

Shutterstock / Rsphotograph

Climbing up in the rankings, Boston would be a great fit for Amazon. The city is home (or close to) some of the best educators in the world, with Harvard, MIT, Tufts, and Boston University all nearby. Boston is also home to 150 robotics companies in the area, something that would be seen as a major plus to Amazon, which is looking to automate nearly every part of their business.

2. Austin

Shutterstock / Roschetzky Photography

Austin is a great city, and while it’s metropolitan area is much smaller than Boston or Atlanta, it could still work. The University of Texas’ flagship campus is located in Austin, and with 51,000 students, there’s a lot of talent that Amazon could snatch up. The airport has flights available to most North American cities, and the overall tech culture that’s blossomed in the city would suit Amazon nicely.

3. Atlanta

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock

The former odds-on favorite to land Amazon’s HQ2 has fallen into third place, but it’s still a great option. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms wants to see the city win the bid, saying Atlanta’s “workforce is highly educated and nimble and has an enormous amount of experience in working with established tech-sector companies.”

On top of this, the city is also home to plenty of local schools. Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Georgia State University are in the city, and The University of Georgia is only about 70 miles away. It may have fallen into third place, but Atlanta is definitely still a top contender.